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Tuesday, April 4, 2017

The Energy Bus, by Jon Gordon

A coworker of mine asked me the other day if I had read Jon Gordon's The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy. I had never heard of it. Turns out my local public library has the audio book, so on his recommendation, I decided to check it out.

Gordon tells the story of a businessman whose career is on the ropes. His marriage is unhappy, and he has run out of fixes. His car is out of commission for a couple weeks, so he has to take the bus to work. The bus driver, Joy, recognizes his despair and, along with the other passengers, introduces him to their 10 rules.

Gordon's main point is that we should have a positive attitude and convey that to the people around us. Managers set the tone for people who work under them, and should insist that no one stay "on the bus" if they won't buy into the positivity. As Gordon tells the story, the reluctant bus rider implements changes at his workplace with outstanding results.

The Energy Bus is an overly simplistic business fable, just as you would expect from this sort of book. But the broad points are important and are presented clearly and effectively. Attitude is so important, and the tone set by a manager or director is inevitably passed to the team. "Energy vampires" impact team productivity and unity. Gordon is so positive and encouraging it's contagious. The Energy Bus can give you a boost as you think about being more positive at work, working with more purpose and enjoyment, and passing those attitudes along to your coworkers.